Childish Things

From Battleship to Barbie, how culture for young consumers shapes the identities they construct

A man wearing a suit, holding a crystal ball, and looking furtively out of the corner of his eyes beckons with his hand
Jeff Chiu / AP

Postmodernism—for Kids

Fifteen years ago, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events built a huge following among children–in part because it used highly self-conscious, experimental literary techniques.